Refrigerating apparatus



articles or food that nrganization, and its Patented Nov. 11, 19412,262,528 aermoean'rmc APPARATUS Don G. Ellis,

Detroit, Micln, assignor to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich,a corporation of Maryland Application October a, 1940, Serial No.359,522

8 Claims.

The present invention pertains to arefrigerating apparatus and moreparticularly to shelves used in refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of thepresent invention to provides. refrigeratorcabinet with shelf supporting surface which may be increased ordecreased, at will, in accordance with the size or shape of the is to bestored in the food storage compartment of the cabinet.

It is another object of the present invention shelf. To this end thereis arranged a shelf 30 which may remain at all times within the foodstorage compartment having a portion of its supporting surface arrangedto be moved into inoperative position to permit extra height for storageof tall articles on the shelf therebelow.

to provide a shelf having complementary swingable portions which may beswung into horizontal position to increase the shelf supporting surface,or swing into a vertical position to permit a greater vertical heightfor the storage of tall containers and the like on the shelf below. Itis another object of the present invention to arrange the shelf onsupporting lugs within the food storage compartment against vertical orhorizontal movement and provide supporting means to prevent sagging ofthe shelf.

The invention itself, however, both as to its method-of operationtogether with additional objects andv advantages thereof, will best beunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments whenread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet with partsbroken away showing the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention taken along line 2-2 of Fig.1 showing the cabinet in section;

vFig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional .view 4 taken alongline 6-6 ofFig.3; Fig. .7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a refrigerator cabinet 20 ofthe household type having insulated walls forming a food storagecompartment 22. The storage compartment 22 is cooled by a suitablecooling unit (not shown). Access to the cabinet closed by a swingablymounted door 23.

The storage compartment 22 is divided into a plurality of storagesections by vertically spaced horizontally disposed shelves to provide amaximum shelf supporting surface. However the shelves are so spacedvertically that some provision must be made for storing and coolingarticles and food that because of its sizeor shape cannot enter betweenthe normally arranged The shelf 30 comprises a stationary supportingsection 3|, and complementary swingable sections 32 and 34. Thestationary shelf section"3| comprises arectangular frame member 36across which are secured parallel strands 31. The rear side 39 of framemember 36 extends beyond the side 4|] of the frame member and bent toform an arm supporting section4l in spaced parallel relation to side 40.A reinforcing rod member 42 extends between to extension arm 39.

Each of the complementary shelf sections 32 and 34 includes arectangular frame member 45 across which are secured parallel strands46;

Hinges 49 hingedly support the shelf 32 to the side of the frame 36, andshelf 34 to the arm supporting section 4|. v of a strip having one endsecured by weld or the like to frame '45 and its opposite end loopedaround the side 40 or arm 42. The looped portion of the hinge permitsthe shelves to be swung about its respective supporting arm 42 or side4| as an axis, and also ,arranged to hinge to be axially movablethereon.

The shelves 32 and 34 are 'supportingly held in horizontal position bystops 50 which are welded to frame member and project outwardly toengage over the reinforcing rod member 42. The stops are formed so as toengageably lock over the member 42 to prevent forward movement of thecomplementary shelves when in horizontal planular alignment with theshelf is through an opening 3|. Should it be desired that either shelf32- or 34 be dropped to provide additional height clearance for storageof articles on shelf 10 is first swung upwardly then pulled forwardlyalong the axis of side 40 or arm 4| until the stop 50 clears the rod 42permitting the shelf to swing downwardly, coming to rest in a dependingvertical position, as shown in Fig. 8 and in dotted lines in Fig.3 Thedepending shelf is moved axially inwardly into the compartment to'allowclosing of door 23.

The shelf 3|! is supported on pins 52 provided on the side walls of thestorage compartment 20. The shelf 30 is locked to the pins 52 by meansof hooks 53 secured to the underside of the frame member of the shelf.In placing the shelf within the compartment theshelf is inclineddownengage beneath the pin 52 with the frame member resting on the pins.The forward section is dropped to rest on the pins 52 with the stud 54carried by frame 35 engaging behind a respective pin 52 The forward hook53' side 40 and arm 4| parallel The hinges 49 are formed allow the theshelf beneath arm 4| shelf where additional height is 1 pended claims.

area in its shelf positioned in said area, hinge members connecting saidsaid fixedly ing and lwking said complementary shelf in sur- 1 facesupporting ported section,

is locked beneath a respective pin 52 by flexing inwardly the arm II,with the shelf 34 dropped into a vertical position, until the hook isaligned to slide beneath the pin, on the pin 52. As the hooks 53 on armH (see .Fig. 8) are oppositely positioned, the stationary shelf 3| islockingly held against either lateral orvertical movement.

Attached to the side 40 is a downwardly extending brace 50 having areduced end 6| receivable in a slot 63' formed in guide rail 64. The end6| locking in the recess 83 permits the shoulder of the brace 84 andgive vertical support to the shelf against saggin The rail 84 is securedto the rear wall of the compartment 22 and by its leg 05 to the bottomwall of the compartment. The rail 84 is positioned intermediatethe sidewalls of-the compartment and serves as a tractable guide and supportwith the'complementary rails 61 secured to a respective side wall, forpans 69 and the lmperforate shelves N3. The imperforate shelf '10 alsoby its close proximity to a respective pan 69 serves as a cover theretoas -well as retarding the air circulation therebelow to provide pan 69and may be a high humidity compartment. The

shelf 10. beneath the shelves 32 and removed and stacked upon adjacentrequired.-

myself to the precise details as shown, but wish to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as may come within the scope of the ep- 1claim: 1. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a fixedlysupported section having an open supporting surface, a complementarycomplementary shelf to an edge of supported section, meansforalignrelation with said f open area in said fixedly supportedsection.

2. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprisopen area in saidflxedlysupported section.

j 3. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a stationarysupporting section having 'a spaced parallel supporting arm joinedthereto by 69 to rest on the back of rail disengaging said meanspermitting said shelves to be swung to a depending vertical position.

4. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a stationary supportingsection having a spaced parallel supporting arm joined thereto by atransverse connecting member, a shelf posiv tioned in the area formedbetween said supporting am and said stationary section, hinge membersfor swingably mounting said shelf to said supporting arm, a means formaintaining said shelf in horizontal alignment with said stationarysection, and said hinge members axially movable for disengagingsaid-means permitting said shelf to be tion.

5. A shelf for spaced parallel supporting arm joined thereto bytransverse connecting members, a shelf positioned in the area formedbetween said stationary section and said arm, hinge members forswingably mounting said shelf to said arm, a means carried by shelfengaging a transverse connecting member for horizontally supporting withsaid hinge members theshelf in horizontal alignment with said stationarysection, and said hinge members axially movable along said arm fordisengaging said means permitting said shelf to be swung to a dependingvertical position.

6. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet compris- -ing a stationarysupporting section having a spaced parallel supporting arm Joinedthereto by transverse connecting members, a pair of shelves positionedbetween said stationary section and said arm, hinge membersfor'swingably mount ing one'shelf "to an edge of said stationary sectionand the other,t0 said am, means carried by each of said shelves forengaging a transverse swung to a depending vertical position 7. A shelftionary section and a swingable section forming a. A shelf for arefrigerator including astationary section and swingable sectionsforming swinging of the respective complementary section, said hingemembers longitudinally movable, along said edge permitting the clearanceof thearm in swinging a complementary shelf section to a verticaldepending position.

Doircammsu swung to a depending vertical posi-' a refrigerator cabinetcomprising-a stationary supporting section having a for a refrigeratorincluding a sta-'

